IRISH GARUENIiNG 



35 



layei- of manure In the trenrli. The seed can be 

 sown fairly thickly, as no cloui>i some will be de- 

 stroyed by slugs and sparrows, and it is easy to 

 thill the plants out where tli. y are overcrowded. 

 'J'he plants grow best, ot cour^ic, on good twiggy 

 hranches ot Beech, .but a gonrl ordinary support 

 IS a wide mesh of wire netting hung on strong 

 supports. Flants of Laveiidrr and Southernwood 

 are easily increased at this period of the year by 

 inUling off quite large pieces from the old plants 

 :ind planting them rather deeply and firmly in the 

 soil. G. H. Oliver. 



^>-OOOCc»nDoci, 

 IJooOOOooaooo' 



The Month's Work 



oooOOooooo 

 7ooOOOOoooo 



"VoooooooOOooi 

 MoooooOOOOOooi^!^ 



By Mr. \Y. H. Lee. Gardener to Viscount Power.?- 

 court, K.P., Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow. 



Work under Glass- 



ARLY PE.K'H HOUSE— The 



trees on which the fruit is 

 .^et will now require unre- 

 mitting attention. The young 

 wood gciicrally is left much 

 too thick to ripen properly, 

 ind therefore the trees should 

 lie dislnidded at this period 

 nf growth with an unsparing 

 hand. Always retain a growth 

 from the l>ase of the fruiting 

 wood wliich, when long 

 enough, .should be tied on the 

 upper side of the growth it 

 is nitended to leplace. Pinch 

 growths which have fruit at 

 the base about the third leaf. All shoots should be 

 tied down before they get unsightly bend.5 on the 

 lower ends of the young wood. Tie them flat and 

 near the position they are to assume next season. 

 The final thinning of the fruit should not take 

 place until the stoning period is over. If the crop 

 exceeds more than one fruit to every liundred 

 square inches of surface thin out to that distance. 

 When the foliage is fully developed syringe the 

 tiees daily to keep the leaves clean. 



Late Houses. — Trees in unheated houses should 

 he given plenty of air to keep Back the bloom as 

 late as possible. If houses should require fumigat- 

 ing for green fly it is always safest to fumigate just 

 before the blooms open, and again when the fruit 

 is set. 



Vineries.— In tying down the shoots they should 

 not be brought down to the wires all at once, but 

 gradually eased down or they will break off at the 

 base. Laterals .should be pinched before they grow 

 to any length, only extend where necessary to 

 pover the house. About a fortnight after the 

 berries are set the bunches wall be ready for thin- 

 ning; so commence with the most forward bunches. 

 L.tTE Vineries. — The borders should be well 

 soaked with tepid water, and the Vines started not 

 later than the beginning of the month. If there 

 is fermenting material to hand and a bed is made 



un the inside bord.-r, fine grapes can be grown 

 without any fire h.-ut whatever. The bed should 

 )>v turned every third day and a barrowful of fnsh 

 material added each time. The rods should be 

 sprayed twice a da.v with water to helij them to 

 iircak. Young Vines should be planted out. Care- 

 fully shake them out of the pots, untanglit the roots 

 and wash them clean. Spread tliem out and cover 

 with a little leaf snil and the ordinary vine com- 

 post. 



Pot Roses as they come in flower should be 

 shifted into the greenhouse or conservatory. 



Sow Half Hardy Annuals in slight heat, or on 

 a hotbed in pans of light sandy soil, and when 

 large enough prick off into boxes or frames. Also 

 in pots Annuals are fine subjects for the decora- 

 tion of the Greenhouse during the summer, and 

 very useful are Statice i^uworowi, ArroUnum 

 luxriirii fl. pL, Clarkias — double varieties, Xcnicsia 

 stiuiitosa, Xii-</ti(ina t^andercr, f<ireet Stilton, 

 Schizanthus, etc., and Sweet Peas should not be 

 forgotten for large pots or boxes. 



Violets. — The plants in frames which have 

 finished flowering should be cleared out, and if 

 runners were not saved in the autumn the young 

 side crowns should be saved and planted in reserve 

 beds for i-eplanting in frames again in the autunm. 

 The empty frames should be utilised for pricking 

 out Antirrhinums, also Stocks, Asters, and other 

 annuals. 



The Kitchen Garden. 



Almost every vegetable seed _niay be sown this 

 month. Make successional sowings of whatever it 

 may be advisable to put under cover or on heat, 

 and proceed w'ith open ground sowing as the 

 weather and conditions permit. It is better to wait 

 until next month than to sow on pasty ground. 

 Clear away all old Sprouts and Broccoli, and pre- 

 pare the ground for late Potatoes. 



Seakale. — To obtain supplies of Seakale over a 

 long period, roots sliould be introduced into heat 

 every fortnight. In taking up the crowns save 

 the small roots for propagating, these should be 

 cut into lengths of about six inches. Give a 

 straight cut for the top and a slanting one for the 

 bottom, and preserve them in boxes of ashes in a 

 cold frame. During this month plant them out 

 in well manured ground 15 inches apart each way. 

 To grow Seakale from seed is very simple, but 

 there is a loss of a year compared with root 

 thongs. ' 



Onions. — No time should .be lost, as soon as the 

 soil is in a workable condition the main crop 

 should be sown. Let a moderate dressing of soot 

 and wood ashes be applied, and lightly dug in 

 and the surface roughly levelled and trod evenly 

 all over, then with a rake make the surface level. 

 The seed sliould be sown thinly in drills, made 

 half inch deep and 12 inches apart. Close the 

 drills evenly, and to put a. finish to the bed pass 

 a light roller over it, or gently pat it with the 

 back of a spade. 



Potatoes. — Second early and main crop varie- 

 ties should be planted in quantity thi.s month. To 

 obtain the best results it is important that the 

 seed should be sprouted instead of planting 

 dormant tubers, as there is less likelihood of blank 

 spaces in the rows. The tubers should be placed 

 in shallow boxes or trays, keeping the rose-end of 

 the tubers upwards. The best size for seed is 

 from IJ to 4 ozs. each, but large growing varieties 

 should be cut, leaving two or three eyes to each 

 set. Dip each cut set into fine lime directly after 



